Camping

Scout brings:

• Scout Handbook

• Sleeping bag appropriate for weather

• Hat

• Rain-gear (poncho)

• Flashlight

• Batteries (extra)

• Sunscreen

• Whistle

• Change of clothes for appropriate weather

• Extra shoes

• Pad to sleep on (optional)

• Water bottles (Nalgenes if you have them.)

• Tent (optional as the troop has troop tents available)

• Snacks for car ride and weekend

• Chair (To sit around camp or campfire)

• Personal hygiene (toothbrush, brush, etc.)

• Cup for Hot cocoa / bug juice

• First aid kit

• Sunglasses

• Gloves

• Scout uniform to wear to the outing and home from the outing

Troop brings:

• Stoves

• Flies (canopies)

• Tables

• Utensils

• Dishes

• Soap to do dishes

• Soap to wash hands

• Lanterns

• Ground clothes

• Pots & Pans

• Troop first aid kit

• Bug juice

• Water 5 gallon jugs

• Tents if needed (scouts must use troop tents for long term and camporee camp-outs)

Parents are always invited and needed to help drive scouts to and from camp-outs and to help supervise these camp-outs. This is a great time to get to know other adults in the troop and to have a great time together.

Food:

Scouts decide what they want to eat in their patrols at troop meetings prior to the trip. We have a menu form that can help scouts plan there menu. A couple of scouts are in charge of purchasing the food, and staying within their budget, with adult help. Scouts are expected to pay the announced camp fees well before departure. Adults paying for the patrol food will be refunded by our treasurer.

The boys prepare their meals with their patrol and clean up their own dishes. Each patrol will have a stove and chuck box with cooking and eating utensils in it. A duty roster will be required for each patrol. To help Scouts prepare there menus you will find a menu form to print in the page attachments at the bottom of this page.

There are some camp-outs where the grannies (adult leaders) purchase and prepare the food for the boys but the scouts always help clean up.

Adult food on a weekend trip is purchased by the leaders running the camp-out . Camp fees which are meant to cover the cost of food will be announced and will be expected to be paid a week or so before departure. We all help prepare and clean up at meal times. The troop provides coffee and hot cocoa for everyone.

Troop 285 uses their Paypal account as the principal means of receiving payments and refunding expenses.

Adults should bring the same items the scouts need to bring. Both scouts and adults will need to bring their own snacks for in between meals.

Sleeping:

Scouts share tents together. They need to have a tent buddy picked out before the trip starts. Adults are forbidden to tent with a scout other than their own child. Adults of opposite sex must be married to tent together. We want the scouts to tent together and not with their parents so they can experience scouting with other scouts and make lasting friendships. At no time will a scout tent alone. He will be paired up with another scout or two other scouts.

Backpacking and Canoeing:

The troop has a small supply of backpacking stoves, fuel bottles, and backpacks for those scouts or adults who don’t own these items. (First come first served.) Not every person will need a stove and water filter, just two of each per cooking group are required. (4-5 per cook group) If you have these items it is greatly appreciated if you can bring your own. Canoes, paddles and life jackets are provided by the troop but if you have these items it is greatly appreciated if you bring your own. Fees for these trips will vary depending on the trip. (If scouts decide, they can fund raise for an outing.)

Permission form:

A Permission form must be filled out by the parent or legal guardian of any scout attending any camping trip. It MUST be brought with the scout to all camping trips that the parent or legal guardian does not attend.